Monday, September 30, 2019

Night World : Soulmate Chapter 2

Hannah found herself on her feet. Her awareness was fragmented and understanding came to her in pieces because she simply couldn't take in the whole situation at once. It was too bizarre. At first she simply thought of a bomb. The explosion was that loud. Then she realized that something had come in the window, that it had come flying through the glass. And that it was in the room with her now, crouching among the broken shards of windowpane. Even then, she couldn't identify it. It was too incongruous; her mind refused to recognize the shape immediately. Something pretty big-something dark, it offered. A body like a dog's but set higher, with longer legs. Yellow eyes. And then, as if the right lens had suddenly clicked in front of her eyes, she saw it clearly. A wolf. There was a big black wolf in the room with her. It was a gorgeous animal, rangy and muscular, with ebony-colored fur and a white streak on its throat like a bolt of lightning. It was looking at her fixedly, with an almost human expression. Escaped fromYellowstone , Hannah thought dazedly. The naturalists were reintroducing wolves to the park, weren't they? It couldn't be wild; Ryan Harden's great-grandpa had bragged for years about killing the last wolf in Amador county when he was a boy. Anyway, she told herself, wolves don't attack people. They never attack people. A single wolf would never attack a full-grown teenager. And all the time her conscious mind was thinking this, something deeper was making her move. It made her back up slowly, never taking her eyes off the wolf, until she felt the bookcase behind her. There's something you need to get, a voice in her mind was whispering to her. It wasn't like the voice of another person, but it wasn't exactly like her own mental voice, either. It was a voice like a dark cool wind: competent and rather bleak. Something you saw on a shelf earlier, it said. In an impossibly graceful motion, from eight feet away, the wolf leaped. There was no time to be scared. Hannah saw a bushy, flowing black arc coming at her and then she was slammed into the bookcase. For a while after that, everything was simply chaos. Books and knick-knacks were falling around her. She was trying to get her balance, trying to push the heaviness of a furry body away from her. The wolf was falling back, then jumping again as she twisted sideways to get away. And the strangest thing was that she actually was getting away. Or at least evading the worst of the wolf's lunges, which seemed to be aimed at knocking her to the floor. Her body was moving as if this were, somehow instinctive to her, as if she knew how to do this. But I don't know this. I never fight†¦ and I've certainly never played dodge ball with a wolf before†¦. As she thought it, her movements slowed. She didn't feel sure and instinctive any longer. She felt confused. And the wolf seemed to know it. Its eyes glowed eerily yellow in the light of a lamp that was lying on its side. They were such strange eyes, more intense and more savage than any animal's she'd ever seen. She saw it draw its legs beneath it. Move-now, the mysterious new part of her mind snapped. Hannah moved. The wolf hit the bookcase with incredible force, and then the bookcase itself was falling. Hannah flung herself sideways in time to avoid being crushed-but the case fell with an unholy noise directly in front of the door. Trapped, the dark cool voice in Hannah's mind noted analytically. No exit anymore, except the window. â€Å"Hannah? Hannah?† It was Paul's voice just outside the room. The door flew open-all of four inches. It jammed against the fallen bookcase. â€Å"God-what's going on in there? Hannah? Hannah!† He sounded panicked now, banging the door uselessly against the blockage. Don't think about him, the new part of Hannah's mind said sharply, but Hannah couldn't help it. He sounded so desperate. She opened her mouth to shout back to him, her concentration broken. And the wolf lunged. This time Hannah didn't move fast enough. A terrible weight smashed into her and she was falling, flying. She landed hard, her head smacking into the floorboards. It hurt. Even as she felt it, everything grayed out. Her vision went sparkling, her mind soared away from the pain, and a strange thought flickered through her head. I'm dead now. It's over again. Oh, Isis, Goddess of Life, guide me to the other world†¦. â€Å"Hannah! Hannah! What's going on in there?† Paul's frantic voice came to her dimly. Hannah's vision cleared and the bizarre thoughts vanished. She wasn't soaring in sparkling emptiness and she wasn't dead. She was lying on the floor with a book's sharp corner in the small of her back and a wolf on her chest. Even in the midst of her terror, she felt a strange appalled fascination. She had never seen a wild animal this close. She could see the white-tipped guard hairs standing erect on its face and neck; she could see saliva glistening on its lolling red tongue. She could smell its breath-humid and hot, vaguely dog-like but much wilder. And she couldn't move, she realized. The wolf was as long as she was tall, and it weighed more than she did. Pinned underneath it, she was utterly helpless. All she could do was lie there shivering as the narrow, almost delicate muzzle got closer and closer to her face. Her eyes closed involuntarily as she felt the cold wetness of its nose on her cheek. It wasn't an affectionate gesture. The wolf was nudging at strands of her hair that had fallen across her face. Using its muzzle like a hand to push the hair away. Oh, God, please make it stop, Hannah thought. But she was the only one who could stop this-and she didn't know how. Now the cold nose was moving across her cheekbone. Its sniffing was loud in her ear. The wolf seemed to be smelling her, tasting her, and looking at her all at once. No. Not looking at me. Looking at my birthmark. It was another one of those ridiculous, impossible thoughts-and it snapped into place like the last piece in a puzzle deep inside her. Irrational as it was, Hannah felt absolutely certain it was true. And it set off the cool wind voice in her mind again. Reach out, the voice whispered, quiet and businesslike. Feel around you. The weapon has to be there somewhere. You saw it on the bookcase. Find it. The wolf stopped its explorations, seeming satisfied. It lifted its head†¦ and laughed. Really laughed. It was the eeriest and most frightening thing Hannah had ever seen. The big mouth opened, panting, showing teeth, and the yellow eyes blazed with hot bestial triumph. Hurry, hurry. Hannah's eyes were helplessly fixed on the sharp white teeth ten inches away from her face, but her hand was creeping out, feeling along the smooth pine floorboards around her. Her fingers glided over books, over the feathery texture of a fern-and then over something square and cold and faced with glass. The wolf didn't seem to notice. Its lips were pulling back farther and farther. Not laughing anymore. Hannah could see its short front teeth and its long curving canines. She could see its forehead wrinkling. And she could feel its body vibrate in a low and vicious growl. The sound of absolute savagery. The cool wind voice had taken over Hannah's mind completely. It was telling her what would happen next. The wolf would sink his teeth into her throat and then shake her, tearing skin and ripping muscles away. Her blood would spray like a fountain. It would fill her severed windpipe and her lungs and her mouth. She would die gasping and choking, maybe drowning before she bled out. Except. . . that she had silver in her hand. A silver picture frame. Kill it, the cool voice whispered. You've got the right weapon. Hit it dead in the eye with a corner. Drive silver into its brain. Hannah's ordinary mind didn't even try to figure out how a picture frame could possibly be the right weapon. It didn't object, either. But faint and faraway, there came another voice in her head. Like the cool wind voice, it wasn't hers, but it wasn't someone else's, either. It was a clear crystal voice that seemed to sparkle in jeweled colors as it spoke. You are not a killer. You don't kill. You have never killed, no matter what happened to you. You do not kill. I don't kill, Hannah thought slowly, in agreement. Then you're going to die, the cool wind voice said brutally, much louder than the crystal voice. Because this animal won't stop until either it's dead or you are. There's no other way to deal with these creatures. Then it happened. The wolf's mouth opened. In a lightning-fast move, it darted for her throat. Hannah didn't think. She brought the picture frame up †¦ and slammed it into the side of the wolf's head. Not into the eye. Into the ear. She felt the impact-hard metal against sensitive flesh. The wolf gave a yelping squeal and staggered sideways, shaking its head and hitting at its face with a forepaw. Its weight was off her for an instant, and an instant was all Hannah needed. Her body moved without her conscious direction, sliding out from under the wolf, twisting and jumping to her feet. She kept her grasp on the picture frame. Now. Look around! The bookcase-no, you can't move it. The window! Go for the window. But the wolf had stopped shaking its head. Even as Hannah started across the room, it turned and saw her. In one flowing, bushy leap it put itself between her and the window. Then it stood looking at her, every hair on its body bristling. Its teeth were bared, its ears upright, and its eyes glared with pure hatred and menace. It's going to spring, Hannah realized. I am not a killer. I can't kill. You don't have any choice- The wolf sprang. But it never reached her. Something else came soaring through the window and knocked it off course. This time, Hannah's eyes and brain identified the creature at once. Another wolf. My God, what is going on? The new animal was gray-brown, smaller than the black wolf and not as striking. Its legs were amazingly delicate, twined with veins and sinews like a racehorse's. A female, something faraway in Hannah's mind said with dreamlike certainty. Both wolves had recovered their balance now. They were on their feet, bristling. The room smelled like a zoo. And now I'm really going to die, Hannah thought. I'm going to be torn to pieces by two wolves. She was still clutching the picture frame, but she knew there was no chance of fighting them both off at once. They were going to rip her to bits, quarreling over who got more of her. Her heart was pounding so hard that it shook her body, and her ears were ringing. The female wolf was staring at her with eyes more amber than yellow, and Hannah stared back, mesmerized, waiting for it to make its move. The wolf held the gaze for another moment, as if studying Hannah's face-in particular the left side of her face. Her cheek. Then she turned her back to Hannah and faced the black wolf. And snarled. Protecting me, Hannah thought, stunned. It was unbelievable-but she was beyond disbelief at this point. She had stepped out of her ordinary life and into a fairy tale full of almost-human wolves. The entire world had gone crazy and all she could do was try to deal with each moment as it came. They're going to fight, the cool wind voice in her mind told her. As soon as they're into it, run for the window. At that moment everything erupted into bedlam. The gray wolf had launched herself at the black. The room echoed with the sound of snarling-and of teeth clicking together as both wolves snapped again and again. Hannah couldn't make out what was going on in the fight. It was just a blurred chaos as the wolves circled and darted and leaped and ducked. But it was by far the most terrifying thing she had ever witnessed. Like the worst dog fight imaginable, like the feeding frenzy of sharks. Both animals seemed to have gone berserk. Suddenly there was a yelp of pain. Blood welled up on the gray female's flank. She's too small, Hannah thought. Too light. She doesn't have a chance. Help her, the crystal voice whispered. It was an insane suggestion. Hannah couldn't even imagine trying to get in the middle of that snarling whirlwind. But somehow she found herself moving anyway. Placing herself behind the gray wolf. It didn't matter that she didn't believe she was doing it, or that she had no idea how to team up with a wolf in fighting another wolf. She was there and she was holding her silver picture frame high. The black wolf pulled away from the fight to stare at her. And there they stood, all three of them panting, Hannah with fear and the wolves with exertion. They were frozen like a tableau in the middle of the wrecked office, all looking at each other tensely. The black wolf on one side, his eyes shining with single-minded menace. The gray wolf on the other, blood matting her coat, bits of fur floating away from her. And Hannah right behind her, holding up the picture frame in a shaking hand. Hannah's ears were filled with the deep reverberating sound of growling. And then a deafening report that cut through the room like a knife. A gunshot. The black wolf yelped and staggered. Hannah's senses had been focused on what was going on inside the room for so long that it was a shock to realize there was anything, outside it. She was dimly aware that Paul's yells had stopped some time ago, but she hadn't stopped to consider what that meant. Now, with adrenaline washing over her, she heard his voice. â€Å"Hannah! Get out of the way!† The shout was tense, edged with fear and anger- and determination. It came from the opposite side of the room, from the darkness outside the window. Paul was there at the broken window with a gun. His face was pale and his hand was shaking. He was aiming in the general direction of the wolves. If he fired again he might hit either of them. â€Å"Get into a corner!† The gun bobbed nervously. Hannah heard herself say, â€Å"Don't shoot!† Her voice came out hoarse and unused-sounding. She moved to get in between the gun and the wolves. â€Å"Don't shoot,† she said again. â€Å"Don't hit the gray one.† â€Å"Hit the gray one?† Paul's voice rose in something like hysterical laughter. â€Å"I don't even know if I can hit the wall! This is the first time I've ever shot a gun. So just-just try to get out of the way!† â€Å"No!† Hannah moved toward him, holding out her hand. â€Å"I can shoot. Just give it to me-â€Å" â€Å"Just move out of the way-â€Å" The gun went off. For an instant Hannah couldn't see where the bullet had gone and she wondered wildly if she had been shot. Then she saw that the black wolf was lurching backward. Blood dripped from its neck. Steel won't kill it, the wind voice hissed. You're only making it more angry. . But the black wolf was swinging its head to look with blazing eyes from Hannah with her picture frame to Paul with his gun, to the gray wolf with her teeth. The gray wolf snarled just then and Hannah had never seen an animal look closer to being smug. â€Å"One more shot†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Paul breathed. â€Å"While it's cornered†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Ears flat, the black wolf turned toward the only other window in the room. It launched into a vaulting leap straight toward the unbroken glass. There was a shattering crash as it went through. Glass fragments flew everywhere, tinkling. Hannah stared dizzily at the curtains swirling first outside, then inside the room, and then her head snapped around to look at the gray wolf. Amber eyes met hers directly. It was such a human stare†¦ and definitely the look of an equal. Almost the look of a friend. Then the gray wolf twisted and loped for the newly broken window. Two steps and a leap-she was through. From somewhere outside there came a long drawn-out howl of anger and defiance. It was fading, as if the wolf was moving away. Then silence. Hannah shut her eyes. Her knees literally felt as if they wanted to buckle. But she made herself move to the window, glass grating under her boots as she stared into the night. The moon was bright, one day past full. She thought she could just see a dark shape loping toward the open prairie, but it might have been her imagination. She let out her breath and sagged against the window. The silver picture frame fell to the floor. â€Å"Are you hurt? Are you okay?† Paul was climbing through the other window. He tripped on a waste-basket getting across the room, then he was beside her, grabbing for her shoulders, trying to look her over. â€Å"I think I'm all right.† She was numb, was what she was. She felt dazed and fragmented. He blinked at her. â€Å"Um .. . you have some particular fondness for gray wolves or something?† Hannah shook her head. How could she ever explain? They stared at each other for a moment, and then, simultaneously, they both sank to the floor, squatting among the shards of glass, breathing hard. Paul's face was white, his red hair disheveled, his eyes large and stunned. He ran a shaky hand over his forehead, then put the gun down and patted it. He twisted his neck to stare at the wreck of his office, the overturned bookcase, the scattered books and knickknacks, the two broken windows, the glass fragments, the bullet hole, the flecks of blood, and the tufts of wolf hair that still drifted across the pine floorboards. Hannah said faintly, â€Å"So who was at the door?† Paul blinked twice. â€Å"Nobody. Nobody was at the door.† He added almost dreamily, â€Å"I wonder if wolves can ring doorbells?† â€Å"What?† Paul turned to look straight at her. â€Å"Has it ever occurred to you,† he blurted, â€Å"that you may not be paranoid after all? I mean, that something weird and uncanny really is out to get you?† â€Å"Very funny,† Hannah whispered â€Å"I mean-† Paul gestured around the room, half-laughing. He looked punch-drunk. â€Å"I mean, you said something was going to happen-and something did.† He stopped laughing and looked at her with wondering speculation. â€Å"You really did know, didn't you?† Hannah glared at the man who was supposed to guide her back to sanity. â€Å"Are you crazy?† Paul blinked. He looked shocked and embarrassed, then he glanced away and shook his head. â€Å"God, I don't know. Sorry; that wasn't very professional, was it? But†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He stared out the window. â€Å"Well, for a moment it just seemed possible that you've got some kind of secret locked up there in your brain. Something†¦ extraordinary.† Hannah said nothing. She was trying to forget about too many things at once: the new part of her that whispered strategies, the wolves with human eyes, the silver picture frame. She had no idea what all these things added up to, and she didn't want to know. She wanted to force them away from her and go back to the safe ordinary world ofSacajaweaHigh School . Paul cleared his throat, still looking out the window. His voice was uncertain and almost apologetic. â€Å"It can't be true, of course. There's got to be a rational explanation. But-well, if it were true, it occurs to me that somebody had better unlock that secret. Before something worse happens.†

Sunday, September 29, 2019

The Validity of the Environmental Kuznets Curve

The proper use of the environment has become a controversial topic in economics. In both of James Beseecher's lectures during the module, he outlined a critique of mainstream economics currently governing all our policies, and presented several key thinkers In environmental economics. The huge potential for economic growth through the exploitation of the environment has been undeniable. Vital resources have forever been and continue to be a necessary component of economic growth.But the environment also performs the essential function of supporting life. Needless to say, if humans impair the earth's ability to sustain life the consequences would be dire. And unfortunately, the very same exploitation that provides us with crucial economic Inputs can also be the Instrument by which we impair the earth's ability to support life. Beechen Insisted the world would have to shift Its focus too more sustainable branch of economics. One policy proposed by economists is to allow countries to ec onomically grow out of environmentally damaging activity.Looking at countries with already large economies, we see signs of environmental regulation such as emissions standards, extensive recycling programs, and limited timber harvesting. The economists supporting a policy that Initially allows for environmental degradation assert that If a country can achieve sufficient economic growth In a short period of time then perhaps environmental damage should be tolerated. A well-known hypothesis providing support for a policy that emphasizes economic growth at the expense of environmental protection is the environmental Sunset curve (EKE) hypothesis.It posits that countries in the development process will see their levels of environmental degradation increase until some Income threshold Is met and then afterwards decrease. If true, economic polices should allow extensive, although not necessarily absolute, use of the environment for growth purposes. But carrying out such policies involves inherent dangers. If developing countries decide to overlook environmental protection by counting on rising incomes to abate environmental damage the consequences could be devastating.The most pressing danger is that additional environmental degradation could cause some irreversible and significant harm. This could occur before the predicted Income threshold Is met. The other concern with counting on Incomes to reduce environmental damage Is that the EKE hypothesis could easily be incorrect and relying on its predictions would lead to consistently insufficient protection. This paper evaluates the validity of the EKE hypothesis and argues that it is not a sound basis for policy formation and Justification with so much at stake.The plan of the paper is as follows. Section II examines the basis for the EKE hypothesis and conditions under which It may accurately predict a country's future environmental at the findings of these studies. Section IV identifies the inherent dangers in dete rmining environmental policy based upon the EKE hypothesis. Some concerns are relevant if the hypothesis does not hold and others are present even if it does prove a correct forecaster of environmental quality. Section V provides a conclusion.Section II: The Concept of the Environmental Sunset Curve The EKE hypothesis asserts that countries will naturally move from relatively low environmentally degrading activity to highly degrading activity and then, once a certain income threshold is achieved, will proceed to less degrading activity once again. This assertion allows one to predict the relative level of environmental damage Ewing caused by a country by looking at GAP per capita. However, this prediction is relative to individual countries. In other words, each country has its own EKE, based upon resource endowment, social customs, etc. From which it progresses along relative to its GAP. A graphical model of the hypothesis helps illustrate the inverted â€Å"U† shape of the relationship: It is important to note that the theoretical EKE graph does not explicitly express time as a dimension and for this reason the use of the EKE hypothesis to Justify policy decision – an action that by definition incorporates time – would appear inadequate. Only by comparing two different countries can the inverted â€Å"U† shaped curve be derived as seen above. However each country possesses its own unique EKE and therefore each country's policies should be organized accordingly.In order for the graph to show an EKE, and thereby be valid as policy Justification, we must incorporate a time dimension. We find a time dimension along the x-axis. The EKE hypothesis assumes that changes in income per capita only occur over time. By including this supposition of changes in income inherently signifying time, the graph can now show an EKE for a specific country. The identification of a country's particular EKE provides a basis for using it to influence polic y. Possessing the theoretical model by which the EKE hypothesis is used for economic policy we turn our focus to explaining why the inverted â€Å"U† shape exists.There are two primary explanations for the proposed shape of the EKE. The first examines the history of developed countries and the paths they took to achieve development. The second reflects the changing preference for environmental quality as incomes rise. Historically, all developed countries' economies were originally based upon agriculture, a state that produced little environmental damage. Their economies later switched to a much more environmentally damaging state that focused on industry and manufacturing. Two main factors lead to environmental damage that occurs during industrialization.First, the harmful by-products of production damage the environment. High levels of pollution and water contamination accompany the expansion of industry. The second factor is the increased consumption of natural resources. The extensive over-use of land, deforestation and mining of mountains is a form of environmental damage in and of itself. A common conclusion of this placement pattern is that Olds must pass through the same phases in order to regulations, Olds will be at an economic disadvantage compared to the already developed countries.Many Olds point to this competitive disadvantage when rejecting global environmental standards. The next stage of development saw industrial nations switching to service-based economies, a trend that all global GAP leaders tend towards. During this phase the income threshold of the Ekes for certain polluting substances appear to have been reached. According to the hypothesis, service-based economies are said to be able to avoid many of the most environmentally damaging economic activities. In theory, environmental impacts also fall as a result of improved technology discovered in developed countries.In some cases technology leads to a more efficient use of inputs. Other technological advancements make it possible to restrict the harmful effects that economic activity have on the environment. The second reason that a high-income level can reduce environmental damage is by altering the demand for environmental quality. Known as the â€Å"income effect†, sufficiently high GAP per capita often leads individuals to place environmental quality above additional economic growth. The aggregation of these individual preferences plays an integral role in determining the income threshold.The EKE income threshold aggregates all environmentally damaging agents into a single numerical value. However, taken individually economists can place dollar values on the turning points of damaging agents. For example, in a 1997 paper by Cole, Earner and Bates, the authors found the turning point of CO and NON emissions to be around $9,900 and $14,700, respectively. Using environmental quality preference as an explanation, the income threshold represents the in come level per pita at which the preference for environmental quality outweighs the preference for additional income.This change in preference occurs on a public level, rather than a private one. Microeconomic decisions to support more environmentally friendly goods and services cannot account for the income effect. The issue is instead a matter of public policy. The changes in environmental standards reflect political pressure on governments. According to the EKE hypothesis, changes to evolving economies and the individual preference for environmental quality combine to determine the income threshold. However, whether or not an inverted â€Å"U† shaped curve exists at all is still up for debate.Section Ill: Evidence For and Against the EKE Hypothesis Evidence regarding the EKE hypothesis is circumstantial and inconclusive. Most early studies that supported the hypothesis focused on a single damaging agent, such as a pollutant. Identifying key characteristics associated with agents that have been studied we find that only certain types of agents exhibit an EKE. Evidence supporting the EKE first began in 1994 when Selene and Song derived an EKE for SIS. A later test in 1995 by economists Grossman also found SIS emissions to follow n EKE. They found a turning point between $4,000 and $6,000.Another early documentation of EKE support came from Theodore Pantaloon who found the turning point of deforestation to be $823. After the initial studies, other economists began to investigate the validity of the EKE hypothesis and found refuting evidence. In the 1997 paper by Cole, Earner and Bates, they found no EKE for traffic, nitrates or EKE; rather, energy use per capita rose steadily with increased income. Evidence appears to support the EKE hypothesis only for a limited type of damaging agents. The emission of SIS is found in urban waste areas and is thereby hardhearted by its locality.Deforestation also reflects a situation involving a specific location. Dama ging agents that affect only a particular site tend to show Ekes. However, a damaging agent such as traffic is plain to see and also affects certain areas heavily. In this case the agent is dominated by a scale effect – increased activity leads to increased environmental impact. While traffic-related pollution is generally iterated by population size, damaging agents such as energy production by-products increase with GAP per capita. Section lb. Dangers of the EKE Hypothesis in international developmentThere exist many dangers in allowing an economy to simply grow out of environmentally damaging activity. Some of these dangers arise because the EKE hypothesis does not hold true in all cases. Others exist even if we assume the hypothesis as an accurate predictor of environmental conditions. The following is a list of concerns regarding the EKE hypothesis: l. It remains inconclusive if most damaging agents follow the EKE. II. The threshold income may be irrelevantly high or the temporary period of increasing environmental damage too long. Ill.Any decrease in environmental damage seen in developed countries may reflect the exportation of production abroad and subsequent importation. IV. The â€Å"absorptive capacity' of our earth is unknown. V. Ekes may only exist in certain political atmospheres. A detailed examination of the above concerns illustrates the inherent dangers in accepting the EKE hypothesis and afterwards using it to Justify policy making. As discussed above, only local and regional damaging agents show signs of Ekes. Other â€Å"difficult to detect† agents seem to increase with GAP per capita.This discovery leaves open to question whether more agents than not respond to income increases. If there exist more agents that do not respond then attempting to grow past these impacts would be impossible. Many damaging agents may respond to income levels, but not until GAP per capita approaches out-of-reach levels. If in a developed country, the turning point for a damaging agent is above, say, $50,000 then neglecting to react will create damage for a considerable amount of time. Over the time it takes to achieve the turning point, the environmental damage may become irreversible .Obviously, in a OLD the turning point value needs only to be considerably lower and still have the same adverse effects. Using solely the EKE hypothesis to Justify unsustainable growth is unwise, as the outcome still remains unknown. Another consideration that challenges the EKE evidence is that wealthy countries are massively importing products manufactured in Olds, thereby contributing to environmental degradation; the only difference is that the degradation is not domestic. The first hypothesis to bring up this possibility was the Pollution Haven hypothesis.It states that developed countries export their high polluting industries to Olds whose governments have more lax environmental standards. Many economists follow environmental regulatio ns. However, this does not exclude the possibility of heavy industries existing in Olds and coincidently exporting their products to wealthy countries. In this case, wealthy countries only started along the downward slope on the EKE by domestically reducing environmental damage. When taken globally their increased consumption due to income may without doubt still be increasingly damaging.Another danger is that leaving the quality of our environment subject to economic activity, even for only a short period, may well prove to be disastrous. The ability of the earth to absorb the damaging agents produced by economic activity, called â€Å"absorptive capacity,† is not yet known. A final concern is that even if countries can achieve high levels of income per capita they may not possess a political atmosphere conducive to environmental protection. Assuming that the aggregate turning point in a country is reached, that country is not necessarily going to enact environmental protect ion.The most successful avenues for obtaining environmental quality, it seems, are lobbyists. Without a government that responds to political pressure by these public groups here is no reason to believe that its policies will reflect the demand for a cleaner environment, if such demand exists at all. Indeed, it also remains to be seen if all cultures place similar values on environmental quality. Section V: Conclusion The questions and concerns about the EKE hypothesis examined in this paper raise significant doubt as to the wisdom of adopting environmental policy based upon the EKE hypothesis.Even assuming its validity, the EKE hypothesis generates considerable doubt as to its effectiveness at balancing economic growth with environmental protection. In order to effectively produce a critique of the EKE, the present paper assumes growth is still regarded as the sole goal of economic development. The hypothesis indeed uses rising incomes as a factor of time. Calls however have been g rowing stronger for a shift of focus from economic growth towards well-being, equality and sustainability.

Saturday, September 28, 2019

Phoenix Jackson and the Modern Day Woman Essay

A phoenix is a mythical bird of great beauty fabled to live 500 or 600 years in the Arabian wilderness, to burn itself on a funeral pyre, and to rise from its ashes in the freshness of youth and live through another cycle of years: often an emblem of immortality or of reborn idealism or hope; a person or thing of peerless beauty or excellence; a person or thing that has become renewed or restored after suffering calamity or apparent annihilation; A person or thing regarded as uniquely remarkable in some respect. Eudora Welty, in her character Phoenix Jackson, creates humanity’s counterpart of the phoenix firebird from oriental tradition (Wampler 4 June 2013). Although Phoenix Jackson can not lay claim to the immortality manifested by consuming fiery rebirths (as does the mythological bird), she possesses a fiery spirit and is consumed by love for her grandchild (Wampler 4 June 2013). Phoenix Jackson is wise, confident, fearless, tenacious, courageous, and has a clear goal in mind, which is to get her grandson’s medicine despite any obstacle that she may face. Phoenix Jackson can be summed up in one word which is noble. All women should have the characteristics of Phoenix Jackson but some of those characteristics are being lost with the evolving society. Phoenix Jackson is an elderly African American woman walking into town on a cold winter morning to get medicine for her sick grandson. One aspect of Phoenix’s likeness to the mythical phoenix is their journey before they die. The Natchez Trace is an old highway that runs from Nashville, Tennessee, to Natchez, Mississippi (Natchez Trace 27 May 2013). By 1800 it was the busiest in the American South (Natchez Trace 27 May 2013). Phoenix lives â€Å"a way back off the Old Natchez Trace,† which indicates that the journey along with the fact that it is December is difficult for her (A Worn Path n. d. ). The obstacles she faces shows how deeply she cares and sacrifices for her grandson. At the end, when we are told she â€Å"began on the stairs, going down† it indicates that she is faced with a return journey as difficult as the one she has just completed (A Worn Path n. d. ). She is also between 80-100 years old which further magnifies the intensity of her journey and the tragic situation of her grandson’s dependence on her. Like many people who have lived to be Ms. Jackson’s age, they gain strength from the years of trials and experiences in their lives. Ms. Jackson was unschooled, black and a woman who grew up during the depression and slavery years. This along with her many years on earth have made her cautious, strong willed and driven. Phoenix’s appearance is yet another aspect of her likeness to the phoenix. At the beginning of the story, Phoenix is described as having a â€Å"golden color [running] underneath [her skin], and the two knobs of her cheeks were illuminated by a yellow burning under the dark† (A Worn Path n. d. ). Welty further describes Phoenix’s hair as being tied back in a â€Å"red rag† (A Worn Path n. d. ). These images cannot be taken to be a mere coincident as the phoenix from the ancient Egyptian legend is described as having a beautiful red and gold plumage. Furthermore, Phoenix’s eyes are said to be â€Å"blue with age† (A Worn Path n. d. ). This description is the first of many that give an indication of her age. The phoenix is a bird that matures to an extreme age before it bursts into flame and is reborn from the ashes. Welty also employs some rather unusual imagery, in which she describes Phoenix’s skin as having â€Å"a pattern all its own of numberless branching wrinkles as though a whole little tree stood in the middle of her forehead† (A Worn Path n. d. ). All of these ties back in with the age the phoenix grows to. During the 1940’s women’s roles and expectations in society were changing rapidly. Previously women had very little say in society and were stereotyped to stay home, have babies, to be a good home maker and wife. Modern day women have it so easy compared to women in the 1940’s. Women today have many career opportunities that were not open to women of the 20th century. In fact, the great majority of women were illiterate because it was assumed that they didn’t need to read if all the work they would do in life was raise children. Women of the 21st century have access to dozens of labor-saving devices that allow them to do housework in a fraction of the time that it took women in the olden days (Women’s Rights). Women today use birth control to plan the size of their families. Centuries ago, it was not unheard of for women to have 11 children, and childbirth was the single highest cause of death for women in their 20s and 30 (Women’s Rights). Women in these times live under a justice system that tries to stop domestic violence, whereas women in 1808 were the property of their husbands, who could do whatever they liked without penalty (Women’s Rights). No policeman or judge would ever think a man had done wrong if he ‘had’ to beat his wife to get her to behave. Modern women control their own finances. Women two hundred years ago were unable to sign for a bank loan without a male consenting to co-sign (Women’s Rights). They were judged incapable of owning property, even to the point that any property that they brought with them into their marriage or inherited from their father was immediately transferred to the safe keeping of their husbands (Women’s Rights). If he then turned it into cash and invested it in a business deal that went bad, the wife had no recourse to recover the money. Women were only given the vote in 1920 (Women’s Rights). Before that, they had no say whatsoever in the laws that were passed that affected their lives. In a few ways, modern women have a harder time than women of yesteryear. Today some women move so far from home that their social and family networks break down. It appears that women living in the 21st century have it vastly easier than women of the 1940’s, although not in every case. Phoenix Jackson was a very rare woman during her time and she is unlike the modern women of today. Not many women today or even back then would do what she did for her grandson. Most women are focused on their careers and would send their husband or nanny to get the medicine for their child. Phoenix Jackson sacrificed a lot because of the love she had for her grandson. Phoenix Jackson’s courage and tenacity are illustrated repeatedly as she faces crisis after crisis during her journey –a frozen day in December, animals in the thicket, hills, thorny bushes, creeks, barbed-wire fences, a com field maze, superstition, a hunter’s gun, a tower of steps, her own forgetfulness, and failing physical health–all obstacles to be overcome (Wampler 4 June 2013). And that’s what Phoenix Jackson does (Wampler 4 June 2013).

Friday, September 27, 2019

How significant a problem is youth offending Essay

How significant a problem is youth offending - Essay Example Their stay in the prison must be utilized to fine-tune their personality, so that upon release, they would find it easy to assimilate into the mainstream of society. The negligent society and adults are responsible for majority of the criminal offenses by young people. Early life experiences have much to do with the criminal leanings of the youngsters. Low achievement in school, family history of problem behavior, and lack of social commitment could be some of the reasons for the youth to get into crimes. Youth offenders should not be treated as the regular criminals. Mercifully, there is a separate youth justice system to look after this aspect, through the intervention of Youth Courts. In his book titled â€Å"Criminology† Tim Newburn, deals extensively on this subject in chapter â€Å"Youth Crime and Youth Justice (p714-741). He highlights the role of the administration, the working of the prisons, police and measurement of youth offending and tries to offer appropriate solutions. No two young offenders are alike and they require varied types of counseling on the basis of their backgrounder information, as to what led them to the path of crime. Society and administration have lots of responsibility in treating and looking after the first time offenders. Youth, besides being combustible, have impressionable minds. Every offender is not a criminal, but has the potentiality to become one, if not guided well in time. What is important is to develop an understanding of the causes of crime. What is the possible solution? Newburn writes, â€Å"†¦imposition of an overreaching aim for youth justice, the creation of the Youth Justice Board to oversee practice, and the establishment of multi-agency Youth Offending Teams to deliver justice†¦Ã¢â‚¬ (p.549) are important. The ultimate aim of the reforming agencies is to target the offending behaviour and to address the specific factors linked with offender’s

Thursday, September 26, 2019

Independent critical evaluation of a planning model Essay

Independent critical evaluation of a planning model - Essay Example When we differentiate and assign the derivative to zero. Hence, and , so So profit is maximised when the output (q) is set to 10 Now, let us consider how we can investigate the model as a case study. The profit model is made up of two distinct sections i.e. Revenue and Costs. Revenue is based upon the linear demand equation and linear demand, consists of an intercept term and a slope term. Costs on the other hand, consist of two distinct entities i.e. a Fixed Cost (the cost of maintaining a business irrespective of level of output) and, a Variable Cost (the additional costs associated with changes in output). If we consider Revenue, then we are considering the product of the linear demand equation and output ('q'). We know that the linear demand equation consists of an intercept term and a slope term. Hence by creating changes in the coefficients associated with the linear demand equation, we can create changes in the Revenue equation. So, we can change the value of the Intercept term and/or the Slope term. Changes in either will create changes in the Revenue equation. Creating changes in the revenue equation will ultimately create changes in the Profit equation! Similarly, the cost equation consists of a fixed cost and a variable cost. Changes in either will cause changes in the Profit equation. Hence, the case study analysis is set up as follows: we will consider changes in the Fixed Cost, then changes in the Variable Cost, followed by changes in the intercept term and then in the slope term of the linear demand equation. Speaking about changes in the Fixed Cost look at graphs changes. Simply vertically moves the position of the graph of the equation. In the case of the Profit graph, a decrease in the... ), i.e. the minus sign outside the brackets of the TC effectively changed the sign of every term within the brackets when the brackets were removed! So 000 is our profit equation! Notice how it represents a quadratic equation with a negative sign in front of the 'squared' term. Such an indication tells us that we are looking at a MAXIMUM point. Let us plot a graph of our profit equation! Costs on the other hand, consist of two distinct entities i.e. a Fixed Cost (the cost of maintaining a business irrespective of level of output) and, a Variable Cost (the additional costs associated with changes in output). Hence by creating changes in the coefficients associated with the linear demand equation, we can create changes in the Revenue equation. So, we can change the value of the Intercept term and/or the Slope term. Hence, the case study analysis is set up as follows: we will consider changes in the Fixed Cost, then changes in the Variable Cost, followed by changes in the intercept term and then in the slope term of the linear demand equation. Speaking about changes in the Fixed Cost look at graphs changes. Simply vertically moves the position of the graph of the equation. In the case of the Profit graph, a decrease in the value of the fixed costs moves the profit graph upwards (and vice versa). Hence, the constant values (-2,000 and 150 in this case) are technically

Leadership and the Professional Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Leadership and the Professional - Essay Example And since we live in a free society, there are always opportunities for people to seek after a â€Å"career† instead of merely a dead end job. Also, because society tends to value them more, professionals are typically paid the most money and awarded the most respect in society. Using Plato’s â€Å"The Republic,† Darwin’s â€Å"Origin of the Species,† Lenin’s â€Å"What is to be Done,† and â€Å"The Rule of St. Benedict† as a guide, this essay will explore what it means to be a modern professional and the moral and ethical dilemmas that professionals (leaders) have to routinely deal with. Because professionals are regarded as experts in their fields, they are given greater authority within society and are viewed as leaders. It is a given that since we grant them this authority, they should use their influence wisely and be ethical and moral people in addition to having certain knowledge and skills. In other words, a professional should also strive to be a well-rounded person with a variety of positive character traits and skills. In â€Å"The Republic,† Plato referred to this type of person as a â€Å"philosopher-king.† Of course, all professionals are not kings, but his ideal of a philosopher-king can also be applied to any person who is in a significant leadership position. Plato refers to ideal leaders of the State and â€Å"Guardians.† He also discusses virtually all the important traits that a Guardian should possess. He believed that leaders should possess not only intelligence and wisdom, but also courage, moderation, and justice. Furthermore, he said that a leader should possess knowledge and reason to rule over baser desires such as desire for money, food, and pleasure. In addition to all these traits, he believed that a leader was one who should have the wisdom to realize what makes for a good life and what makes for a bad one. Still, this is not all Plato believes a leader should posses. He also believes they should have the right temperament; meaning they’re not vicious yet not passive either. Also, this type of person should have a proper education, which he defines as an education that teaches a person to be truthful and just. He also placed a great emphasis in teaching mathematics and, later in a person’s education; the study of philosophy was viewed as the most important subject. Additionally, Plato believed that leaders should stand out from the group as the most virtuous (380 BC). Plato’s views imply that only a select minority are capable of being leaders. While this is mostly true in today’s society, nearly everyone is capable of pursuing a professional career and therefore becoming a leader. Also, Plato was not speaking about leaders in a business sense, but more in a political leadership or â€Å"ruling class† sense. However, I believe the ideas he sets forth are relevant to the modern professional as well. After all, because a professional is seen as an expert, they are leaders and people who others look up to for advice and enlightenment. In our society, professionals are basically given the authority to manage or govern in their particular field. Therefore, it is important that these professionals are taught and trained in philosophy as well as in the technical aspec ts of their profession. If Plato’s Guardians (managers and leaders) are virtuous and just, it will lead to a more productive and happier society. It is interesting that, like Plato, we live in a Democracy but there is still a lot

Wednesday, September 25, 2019

Marketing planning Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words - 1

Marketing planning - Essay Example This part critically evaluates and assesses the techniques used in developing products and services. Clear evidence has been demonstrated of the critical analysis to the recommendations for pricing, distribution and communication of services and products. Measures that are used to monitor and review marketing performance have been creatively specified. A consistent marketing plan for a product has been critically presented. The forth and last part of this report critically evaluates two different organisations’ responses to ethics in marketing. The implications of ethical issues in the marketing for an organization have been described in detail. Statistical surveys carried out by the World Health Organization were used extensively in this research paper. Observational research method was used because it does not interfere with the phenomenon being studied. A case study of Vodafone, Philip Morris International and Diageo Plc was carried out. Unique insights were offered by the case studies. Vodafone Group Plc is a British multinational mobile telecommunications company that has its headquarters in Newbury, England. Based on revenue, Vodafone is the world’s leading mobile network operator that has significant presence in Europe, the United States, Africa and Asia Pacific. Vodafone has a market value of 71 billion pounds (Stevens & Loudon 2006). Based on subscribers, Vodafone is the second largest mobile network operator after China Mobile. As of 2009, Vodafone had 427 million subscribers. Vodafone has established operations in over 70 countries through joint ventures, subsidiary undertakings, associate undertakings and investments. Vodafone has over 79000 employees worldwide (Taylor 1997). In the UK, Vodafone has been having brisk changes in administration, which has resulted in the company performing badly in its home market. The name Vodafone was chosen from the first two letters of the words voice data fone so as to show

Tuesday, September 24, 2019

California since 1970 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

California since 1970 - Essay Example This essay "California since 1970" outlines how this state changed based on main issues: population, school system, and political geography. California has been populated since 1970 when it had a population of 19,953,134. Currently the population of California is 38,292,687. The US Bureau officially estimated the population to be 36, 756,666 as in 2008. In 2000, its population was numbered 33, 871, 648. The state’s population has grown dramatically since 1970 ("California Population."). Based on the US Census Bureau, the population of California is made of white non-Hispanic (42.7%), Hispanic (36.2%), Blacks (6.7%) and Asian (12.4%). The growth rate has slowed recently; from 2000-2004, the state lost 99,000 people to other states than it gained from other states in the United States. The presumption of system of governance, local control based on domestic electoral accountability- the system that was in place for the last 150 years has been taken over by the state control syst em. The decisions that were used to be local discretion matters-among them the student assessment, student graduation and promotion, and resource allocation are now matters of the government policy. Districts are now subjected to federal regulations and voluminous state and reporting requirements ( â€Å"Report of the Joint Interim Committee on the Public Education System†). The state tells the facilitators how to teach readings and how to carry themselves in the company of teachers. Since the enactment of PSAA, the state took over the failing schools and fire principals and teachers. Due to the changes in governance since 1970, there are crucial areas of learning and teaching that were not subjected to the legislative mandate. Currently, the constitution of the state assigns education’s responsibility to the state while the legislature has delegated that responsibility to local schools. The school districts were given the authority to collect taxes, make contracts, an d implement state law as it applied to school’s operation. The education’s accountability was synonymous with domestic political accountability. The members of the school board answered to the electorates. Over the years, state centralization made a difference in some crucial ways. Among them are transparency, efficiency, rationality and adequacy of finance system. Since 1970, the combination of voter initiatives, court rulings and legislative enactment has altered the school system in the state of California finance (Watts, Malcolm and Clark Jones, 67). Compared to 1970s, California now look decidedly blue. Both the California congressional representatives and senators are Democrats. During the last election, the Californians voted solidly Democratic. The growth in the democratic support since 197- has not been uniform in the entire state. The North used to vote for Democratic while the south used to vote for republican. This has been replaced by west-east, or the coa stal inland division. In the early 1970’s, the most Democratic region was the Bay Area in the presidential elections, and the southern and central areas were solidly Republican ( "California's Political Geography."). Over the years the presidential elections has been a measure of political standings among the Californians this

Monday, September 23, 2019

Global Crimes Analysis Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Global Crimes Analysis - Research Paper Example As a result, there is comparison and contrast of the various international criminal justice systems especially on addressing the major global crimes and criminal issues. Addressing some major global crimes Gangs provide significant contribution to crime activities such as firearms transactions and violence, drug sales and use, home invasions, car theft, homicide, graffiti, and other related major crimes in the world (Muraskin & Roberts, 2009). To address these issues, Muraskin and Roberts exemplified four generic programs such as prevention, intervention, suppression, and comprehensive strategies. In the US and even the world, punishments integrated with the justice systems are the usual way on how society addressed global crimes (Muraskin & Roberts, 2009). Furthermore, according to Muraskin and Roberts, in the US justice system so as to address major crimes especially those associated with terroristic acts, policy to address them requires sophistication and resources. This means, th e US has to advance further especially within its justice system when it comes to addressing global crimes. In the case of US’s war on drugs, which has become global, some advocates believe that there is a need for policy improvement and development in the justice system (Waller, 2009). For instance, based on Waller’s book, since the number of incarcerated law offenders is in an upward spiral in the US, taking for instance the figure from 1980 to 2001 which is 1,300 percent, it has become one of the bases for legalization of possession or sale of marijuana, cocaine and opium. According to some experts as pointed out from the book of Waller, this should be a remarkable indication that the US justice system has eventually failed on its war on drugs, which at some point have resulted to social consequences. At this point, Waller presents some significant facts that it is important to understand that the only means US could promote effective implementation of its policy as sociated with its war on drugs is to encourage the entire world to have its stand to fight on illegal possession and use of prohibited drugs. However, it is not only on fight against drugs is active in its participation. In fact, the fight against terrorism is not just a main concern of the US and the essential proof of this is the emancipation of international standards in the detaining of suspects in the said country (Hakimi, 2009). On the other hand, European governments are against transnational organized crime particularly on smuggling of migrants, trafficking in persons, and trafficking of firearms, which eventually lead to anti-political campaign for anti-trafficking interventions (Anderson & Andrijasevic, 2008). Although economic incentives are of primary importance in the organization of organized crime, non-economic nature associated with it such as cultural, social, and political issues are also remarkable prior to understanding and policing it (Arsovska & Kostakos, 2008) . There are many reasons why modern form of human slave in a form of sex trafficking and slave labor continue to persist today and these include debt as tool of manipulation, fraudulent practices which associate middle-men brokering across international boundaries, weak laws and weak enforcement of them, sponsorship laws in Persian Gulf States, lack of understanding of human

Sunday, September 22, 2019

Jealousy in the book of Genesis Essay Example for Free

Jealousy in the book of Genesis Essay The first book of the Pentateuch is rife with Jealousy. It seems a peculiar obsession of those writing in the Lord’s name. After all, such sins as murder, adultery and slothfulness seem so much more damaging to our communities and our selves. Why are the jade eyes of jealously given so much attention in the bible’s leadoff book, especially in the story of the second and third men, Cain and his brother Abel. I suspect that jealousy, being a universal human emotion, one which human beings so easily find themselves sinking into, and one which is so obviously coarse and negative, inspired the writers of the bible to bring attention to it’s dangers very early on in their text. Although the instances of jealousy found in the later narratives of Genesis, perhaps those of Noah and Abraham, present more nuanced and complex manifestations of this all too human frailty, the visceral nature of Cain’s crime and the ambiguity of his atonement must first be addressed, as well as the fundamental differences between jealousy among men and man’s jealousy of God. Cain is assigned to be the â€Å"tiller of the ground† (Genesis 4:2 – NKJV) in the garden of Eden. Abel, his younger brother, the second son of Adam and Eve, was given the more genteel task of tending to flocks of sheep. Both made offerings to the Lord, Cain in the form of the â€Å"fruit of the ground† (Genesis 4:3) and Abel â€Å"the firstborn of their flock and his fat† (Genesis 4:4) which God respected. However the next verse, 4:5, reveals that God did not respect Cain’s offering. Why? The Biblical writers, men knowing nothing at all of God’s motivations (not to mention his existence), don’t feel the need to indulge us with God’s motives or criteria for respecting an offering. We do know that he took unkindly to Cain’s â€Å"countenance†, which â€Å"fell† following his rejection. One could easily see how being rejected by God, who hints at some criteria when he says in 4:7 â€Å"If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin lies at your door. And its desire is for you, but you should rule over it. † Of course, in the very next verse, Cain, after a brief conversation with his brother of which we are told nothing about, kills Abel. Sin came to his door, in the form of jealousy toward his brother and he acted upon it in the most despicable way possible. The biblical writers are trying to dramatize an emotion and its consequences as effectively as possible. Did Cain feel that his offering was superior to his brothers and that he being unfairly judged by God? That God would not accept his offering, regardless of the quality of his fruit? Without more detail, it’s hard to erect any sort of value judgment, within the Christian Lexicon, on the matter of Cain and Abel. God seems a little overbearing and perhaps bears more than a small share of the guilt for Cain’s jealousy. If Cain had toiled that barren mid-eastern soil simply to praise God, rose day and night for his Lord’s glory, than was it perhaps a bit insensitive on the Lord’s part to reject him. Had Abel provoked Cain in any other way? What did they talk about that faithful day? In what language could they have spoken? As you can see, the first instance of jealousy in the Biblical text leaves more stones unturned and more questions unanswered than not. The story of Cain and Abel illuminates the first instance of intra-human jealousy. From the very beginning however, man was jealous of God. God creates man in his own image and makes him humble and stupid. Adam and Eve we’re simply to be in the Garden, lord of the Earth’s other creatures and stay out of God’s affairs, those that concern the moral and scientific complexities of the world. For as God puts it in Genesis 2:16-17, â€Å"Of every tree of the Garden you may freely eat; but of the tree of knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die. † Later, after man as created Eve, verse 2:25 exclaims â€Å"And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed. † A surface reading suggests that man was meant for to remain in a pure, infantile state. Before man erected society, technology or democracy, man was designed to remain pure of the complexities of morality. Yet Adam and Eve, given the free will God had granted them and a base awareness of good and evil, ironically because of God’s edict to stay far away from the tree which allows one knowledge of such matters, had the ability to choose such knowledge, and with a little persuasion from the villainous serpent, they did. Surely the ways of God are mysterious, but why would he set up man with a series of bizarrely attractive ways to subvert his intentions for their well-being? Eve makes a series of evaluative judgments upon the fruit from the tree of knowledge of good and evil when she thinks to herself in verse 3:6 â€Å"So when the woman saw the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, She took of the fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband, and he ate. † Was God setting up Adam and Eve for the fall when he created the tree in the first place? Hoew else to explain an omnipotent God who willfully creates beings who we’re, despite their naivete, are capable of learning and seeing the virtues of something which their creator had made arbitrarily off limits while simultaneously placing being in their midst whose whole obligation is to tempt them? Certainly the rest of the Biblical narrative depends on the jealousy inspired fall – without it, the rest of the story, which culminates with Jesus sacrificing himself for man’s sins and thus offering him redemption, several thousand year before the Earth is destroyed during Jesus’ rapturous return, could not have been constructed by the Biblical writers. Perhaps, if it is out their God wanted to fall. It is simply man’s innocent jealousy, of God’s wisdom and goodness and perhaps his power to arbitrarily, without fear of reprisal or retribution, horde power over his creations, which drove Eve to follow the serpent’s instructions. The instinct to want what others have is as old as man. Surely the omnipotent clockmaker deity that the early enlightenment era Europeans constructed out of King James’ text was aware of this opposition he was creating. It is, after all, just another part of God’s grand design. Bibliography The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Thomas Nelson Bibles, 1982.

Saturday, September 21, 2019

Importance Of Emotional Intelligence In The Organisational Context Education Essay

Importance Of Emotional Intelligence In The Organisational Context Education Essay Until the last two decades, it was strongly believed that IQ is all it takes to be successful in life. Gardners multiple intelligence theory in the early 1980s brought in a different perspective and outlook towards intelligence and brought inter personal and intra personal intelligence to the fore front. Emphasizing Gardners view point, Steven Covey in 1990 wrote a book, 7 habits of highly effective people wherein he said that verbal and reasoning ability form a very small spectrum of human intelligence and inter and intra personal skills are most important for being effective and successful. Slowly, many more researchers added on to the body of research, where they concluded that non cognitive ability is equally or more important than IQ. Researchers of 21st century from the fields of psychology, education and business are converging on the concept of Emotional Intelligence, which is deemed as a sure pathway for success in personal and organisational life. IQ gets you hired, but EQ gets you promoted is the claim made by some journals and magazines. Emotionally intelligent people can perceive, understand and regulate the emotions of others, thus making Emotional intelligence a significant factor in the success of inter personal interaction in work context. Increasingly employers all over the world are actively seeking people with high emotional intelligence. History of Emotional Intelligence There is a large body of research on Emotional Intelligence across various nations. But the very concept of Emotional Intelligence was understood and studied by many in earlier days. The first recorded concept of Emotional Intelligence can be traced back to Charles Darwin. The first book on emotions was published in 1872 by Charles Darwin- The Expression of the Emotions in Man and Animals. In this book, Darwin talks about various primary emotions and emphasizes the theory of Survival of fittest that talks about adaptability to the surrounding, which is the key to success. In 1930s, Edward Thorndike describes the concept of social intelligence as the ability to get along with other people. During 1940s, David Wechsler defined intelligence as aggregate of global capacity to act purposeful, think rationally, and to deal effectively with his environment. Wechsler proposed that no intellective abilities are essential for predicting ones ability to succeed in life. David Wechsler suggests that affective components of intelligence may be essential to success in life. Gradually there came a shift in the concept of intelligence, where intelligence included a broader array of mental abilities. Howard Gardner (1983) pioneered the concept of Multiple Intelligence. He proposed that Interpersonal and Intra personal Intelligence are as important as the type of intelligence typically measured by IQ tests. He advised educators to appreciate students with varied skills and learning styles. In 1985, the first use of the term Emotional intelligence was attributed to Wayne Paynes doctoral thesis A study of emotion: developing emotional intelligence; self-integration; relating to fear, pain and desire (theory, structure of reality, problem-solving, contraction/expansion, tuning in/coming out/letting go). In 1985, Dr Reuven Baron coined the term Emotional Quotient to describe his approach to asses emotional and social functioning. In 1987 in an article published in Mensa Magazine, Ke ith Beasley uses the term emotional quotient. It has been suggested that this is the first published use of the term. Rigorous research in this field was done by psychologists Peter Salovey and John Mayer and later in 1990 they published an article titled, Emotional Intelligence, in the journal Imagination, Cognition, and Personality. The two psychologists concluded seven years later that emotional intelligence comprised four mental processes. Though a lot many researches were undertaken and published in this field , the term Emotional Intelligence did not gain popularity and momentum till 1995, when a cover page article by Nancy Gibbs et al appeared in Times magazine , which read What is your EQ? (Time Magazine, October 1995). Daniel Goleman, psychologist and New York Times journalist, through his best sellers Emotional Intelligence: Why It Can Matter More Than IQ? (1995) , and Working with emotional intelligence (2000) brought the word Emotional Intelligence as a common term, ev en understood by a layman. In the year 1997, Reuven Baron created EQ-i, the first test to measure Emotional intelligence, published by a psychological test publisher. In the year 2000, American dialect society chose the term Emotional Intelligence as the most useful new word of the decade. Definition, models and measures of Emotional Intelligence: There are varied definitions of emotional intelligence and considering any one as a standard definition has become virtually impossible. Some of the following are most popularly used definitions of Emotional Intelligence, used by majority of the scholars and researchers in the field of Emotional Intelligence. Salovey and Mayers Definition: (1997) Emotional Intelligence is the ability to perceive emotions, to access and generate emotions so as to assist thought, to understand emotions and emotional knowledge, and to reflectively regulate emotions so as to promote emotional and intellectual growth. They proposed ability model of EI where it is considered that individuals vary in their ability to process emotion laden information and it can be measured. Ability based model outlines 4basic constructs: perceiving, assimilating, understanding and managing emotions. The most popularly used ability based measure of Emotional Intelligence is Mayor Salovey Caruso Emotional Intelligence Test (MSCEIT) with a chronbach alpha of 0.68- 0.71. Dr. Reuven Bar-Ons Definition(1997): Emotional -Social Intelligence is a cross section of interrelated emotional and social competencies, skills and facilitators that determine how effectively we understand and express ourselves , understand others and relate with them, and cope with daily demands (Bar-On, R. (1997). Emotional Quotient Inventory (EQi ) is the tool used to measure Barons Emotional Intelligence. It has a chronbach alpha of 0.85. Daniel Golemans Definition: Emotional Intelligence refers to the capacity for recognizing our own feelings and those of others, for motivating ourselves, and for managing emotions well in ourselves and our relationships. Goleman proposed mixed model of EI which focuses on EI as a wide array of competencies and skills that drive leadership performance. Mixed EI model consist of 4 main EI constructs: Self awareness, Social awareness, Self management and relationship awareness. Golemans Emotional Intelligence measure is Emotional Competency inventory (ECI) by Boyatzis,Goleman and Hay Mcber (1999) . It has chronbach alpha of 0.71- 0.85. Petrides and Furnham (2000) proposed Trait EI (or trait emotional self-efficacy), which refers to a constellation of behavioral dispositions and self-perceptions concerning ones ability to recognize, process, and utilize emotion-laden information. They proposed Trait EI model which consists of 15 facets of EI. Trait EI refers to an individuals self-perceptions of their emotional abilities .Trait Emotional Intelligence is measured using TEIQue developed by Petrides, Perez and Furnham (2003). It has a chronbach alpha of .85. In all the above mentioned models of EI one common feature is that the models bifurcated the EI competency with respect to self and society. It is difficult to rate any of the measures of EI to be superior over the other. According to Salovey et al (2007), mental ability model can only be called aptly as emotional intelligence model, the others being more generic. Mental ability model is empirically tested and it meets the criteria of standard intelligence. Due to the presence of too many models, definitions, tests and books on EI, the research in the field of EI has become highly diverse. It is too early to come to a consensus on a universal definition, model and test of EI, considering the fact that even the most widely accepted test for IQ, The Wechsler intelligence scale was coined after over 100 years of clinical assessment and research. (Salovey .P. 2007). Researchers in this field should judiciously choose the tool to measure EI of respondents based on the research purpose and context. The model of Emotional Intelligence and organizational effectiveness by Cherniss et al (2001) highlights the importance of EI for organisational improvement. The model describes how Emotional intelligence can impact organizational effectiveness. The organizational factors on the left hand side of the model, viz Leadership, HR functions and organizational climate and culture influence emotional intelligence through its impact on relationship and each of these three factors influence the other two. For instance, Emotional Intelligence of organizational leadership influences the organizations climate and thereby impacts organizational effectiveness. Different HR functions like recruitment, selection, training, succession planning etc will impact organizational leadership, thereby affecting the organizational effectiveness. Leadership in turn can influence the HR functions thereby deciding the extent to which employees can improve their Emotional Intelligence by deciding the extent of Em otional Intelligence training. This explains the interconnectivity of organizational factors, individual and team Emotional Intelligence and ultimately, organizational effectiveness. By correct and timely deployment of resources, organizational effectiveness can be improved to a great extent. A model of Emotional Intelligence and Organisational Effectiveness (Cary Cherniss and Daniel Goleman2001) Leadership HR Functions Organizational Climate and Culture Relationships Organizational Effective Individual Emotional Intelligence Group Emotional Intelligence Research objective: To understand the direction of research in the field of Emotional Intelligence so as to identify a research gap. To propose a conceptual model for predicting career success using Emotional Intelligence score. Literature Review: The study of emotion in the workplace has evolved from two different perspectives: the sociological perspective through emotion management and the psychological perspective through emotional intelligence (Weinberger, 2002). Emotional Intelligence is relatively a new concept and hence the body of research in the field of Emotional Intelligence is not very large. Empirical studies in this field are not even two decades old, (Salovy, 2007), though it has attracted the attention of psychologists, educators, HR professional and corporate trainers. An overwhelming claim by many researchers that Emotional Intelligence has practical application in the work place makes the study of Emotional Intelligence mandatory to be empirically verified. To understand this intriguing field of research, secondary literature review is done to get a direction for future empirical research. For easy comprehension, secondary literature review for the current research is presented under separate but interconnec ted concepts. EI Alexithymia Alexithymia is a communication disorder where in the individual is not able to feel and express an emotion. Significance of alexithymia stems from the fact that an individual who fails to understand and experience an emotion also fails to reason out his work behaviour . Work situations demand correct expression of emotions , for instance ,appreciation for outstanding work done by a junior employee. If an individual fails to express emotions at the right context, it can create a dent in his career progress. Researches reveal that EI is inversely correlated to Alexithymia. Low values of Emotional Intelligence may be used to predict Alexithymia. Moira Mikolajczak, et al(2006) conducted a study in which Alexithymia was measured using French version of Toronto Alexithymia scale.(TAS-20, Bagby et al 1994), which has 20 items on 5 point rating scale, that covers core dimensions of the construct like difficulty in identifying the feeling, difficulty in describing the feeling, and externally oriented thinking. Alexithymia was found to be inversely correlated ( r = -0.55)to Trait EI measured using TEIQue. b) In a study conducted by Elizabeth J (2005) in Canadian (N=500) and Scottish (N=204) groups on EI, Alexithymia, personality and life satisfaction, EI was found to be negatively associated with Alexithymia c) Donald H. et al (2003) conducted a study wherein a short self-report emotional intelligence (EI) measure was completed by a sample of 354 students and relationship between EI and alexithymia was investigated using structural equation modeling and factor analysis. The results indicated that the two constructs are strongly negatively correlated. Alexithymia impedes the growth of career of an employee and higher EI score is inversely proportional to alexithymia. Hence further study on this topic has high relevance. EI Leadership styles It is a leaders duty to foster a positively charged work place so that the employees are motivated to perform better. There is an increased emphasis on transformational leadership style in organizations. Companies that hire and promote people to leadership positions may find the positive relationship between transformational leadership style and emotional intelligence useful. A study conducted by P.D. Harms et al (2010) to understand the relationship between emotional intelligence and transformational and other leadership behaviors, (N= 62) showed a validity estimate of .59 when ratings of both emotional intelligence and leadership behaviors were provided by the same source (self, subordinates, peers, or superiors). Trait emotional intelligence measures showed higher validities than ability EI measures Study conducted by Lisa Ann Weinberger (2009) on the relationships between emotional intelligence and leadership style, (N=151) using MSCEIT, an ability-measuring instrument of emotional intelligence, the results showed that there are no relationships between a managers emotional intelligence and leadership style or the leaders perceived effectiveness According to Deeter-Schmelz, Goebel, and Norman (2008), high emotional intelligence can transform a good sales manager into an exceptional leader. In a study conducted by Singh S. K (2007) on EI and leadership style among software professionals in Indian context, (N=340), showed a positive correlation between EI and leadership styles. Study also showed that EI can predict leadership effectiveness. In a study conducted by Byrne et al (2004) using a set of self-assessment instruments including the Emotional Competency Inventory, the NEO-FFI and a demographic questionnaire, ( N=325) ,results showed that the ECI was predictive of leadership and related work behavior Dulewicz Higgs, 2003 conducted a study on leaders and arrived at a conclusion that EI levels are higher among workplace leaders, and increase as leadership levels rise in an organization In a study conducted by Julian Barling, et al (2000) on emotional intelligence (EQ) and transformational leadership (N= 49 managers, N=187 subordinates, multivariate analyses of covariance showed that three aspects of transformational leadership differed according to level of emotional intelligence. Dulewicz and Higgs (2000) posit that leaders who have a good mix of IQ and emotional intelligence tend to be more successful than those who do not. According to Daniel Goleman (2004) Most effective leaders are alike in one crucial way: They all have a high degree of what has come to be known as emotional intelligence. Its not that IQ and technical skills are irrelevantà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦But my research, along with other recent studies, clearly shows that emotional intelligence is the sine qua non of leadership Transformational leadership style is deemed superior to transactional styles. Positive correlation of transactional style of leadership style with EI is an important finding that can have larger organisational repercussion. EI self regulation Stress coping Self regulation is a very essential virtue an employee must possess for harmonious functioning in the work place. Self regulation helps in clarity in decision making during crisis situation. A high EI individual handles stress in the most productive way, without reaching the level of burn out. The word stress has received a lot of attention due to the negative connotation attached to the word. A meta-analysis of research (Mikolajczak Gross, 2008) concluded that high trait EI individuals regulate their emotions in a flexible manner trait EI is positively linked to functional coping strategies like problem-solving, social support seeking, and reappraising and negatively linked to dysfunctional strategies like inhibition of emotional expression and substance abuse. A study was conducted by Samuel et al (2010) using Trait Emotional Intelligence Scale by Law, Wong, and Song (2004) known as Wong and Law EI scale (WLEIS)(N= 420 ) on secondary school teachers . The results from this study showed that occupational stress was negatively related to psychological well-being, which is a trait EI facet A study conducted by Moira Mikolajczak, et al(2006) on a sample of 80 respondents using TEIQue- SF to measure Emotional Intelligence , it was found that high EI people handle stress better than their low EI peers, thus experiencing low chronic and residual EI. A study conducted by Veneta A. Bastian,Nicholas R. Burns and Ted Nettelbeck (2005) on first-year tertiary students (N=246) concluded that higher EI correlated with higher life satisfaction, better perceived problem-solving and coping ability and lower anxiety. AK Pau and R Croucher (2003) investigated the relationship between emotional intelligence (EI) and perceived stress (PS) in dental undergraduates. (N=213) The mean score for EI was 117.54 (S.D. 14.90) and PS was 17.73 (S.D. 6.49). Correlational analysis showed an inverse relationship between EI and PS. Individual stress has got organizational consequence too in terms of absenteeism, tardiness and turn over. This essentially brings in to the forefront, the relevance of research in this topic EI Gender difference There have been many recent studies on gender difference of Emotional Intelligence. Application of the results of such researches will help in work place especially considering that more and more women employees join work pool. It is important to study gender differences with this proposed study because organizations are seeing demographic changes with an increase of women taking on significant career roles (Offermann Gowing, 1993) A study conducted by Leslie A. Burton (2007) in a sample of 134( 93 female ,41 male) university students using Bar-On EQi for measuring Emotional Intelligence showed women scoring higher in Bar-On Interpersonal overall factor scores, including higher scores for the components like Empathy, Social responsibility etc. In a study conducted by Saima et al ( 2007) , in Pakistan using Self Report Emotional Intelligence Scale (SREIT) developed by Schutte, Malouff, Hall, Haggerty,Cooper, and Golden (1998), no gender difference was found in EI of 100 employees( 55 males and 45 females) of a cellular telecom organization of Lahore, Pakistan . In the doctoral thesis Jesse W. Davis (2006) it was found that the female respondent group (M = 67.1) outperformed the male respondent group (M = 60.1) in mean emotional intelligence rating although the noted differences were not statistically significant. A study conducted by Natalio et al( 2006) examined the reliability of the Spanish version of the MSCEIT, with a sample of 946 college and high school students (426 males, 520 females) ranging from 16 to 58 years and it was found that higher scores are obtained by women on overall scale and branches scores than scores obtained by men. In a study conducted by S.Katyal (2005) ,among 150 adolescents (75 boys and 75 girls) studying in Xth standard in 3 randomly selected government high schools in Chandigarh, India using Emotional Intelligence test by Codaty(2001), found girls having more emotional Intelligence than boys. A study of 224 ( 82 men and 138 women and 4 who did not report their gender ) by K.V . Petrides , et al ( 2004) on post graduate and undergraduate students at two British universities found no gender difference in total EI scores except in Emotional Awareness which was significantly high in women. A study conducted Mandell and Pherwani ( 2003) ,among 32 managers (13 males 19 females) using EQ-i (Bar-On) in a varied sample of organizations in northeastern section of the United States found a significant difference (p .05) in the emotional intelligence scores of male and female managers. Theâ‚ ¬Ã‚   mean total of emotional intelligence scores of females was higher than that for males. In a study conducted by James Poon Teng Fatt, (2002) using the Emotional IQ Test (N=100) on undergraduates from various fields of studies from the National University of Singapore and Nanyang Technological University, it was found that males have higher EI scores than females. In a study conducted by Kathleen Cavallo, (2001) on three hundred and fifty eight Managers (55 % male and 45 % females) across the Johnson Johnson Consumer Personal Care Group (JJCPC Group ) using Emotional Competence Inventory (ECI),some gender difference was found, with Supervisors rating females higher in Adaptability and Service Orientation, while Peers rated females higher on Emotional Self-Awareness, Conscientiousness, Developing Others, Service Orientation, and Communication. Direct reports scored males higher in Change Catalyst In a study conducted by Joseph Ciarrochi, et al (2001) 131 students (aged 13 to 15) completed a self-report measure of emotional intelligence (SEI), and it was found that EI was reliably measured in adolescents and was higher for females than males. Study conducted by Ciarrochi, Chan, and Caputi (2000) found that women performed higher than men on the overall intelligence score of the MEIS with undergraduate psychology students. In a study by Mayer, Caruso, and Salovey (1999), it was found through the Multifactor Emotional Intelligence Scale (MEIS) that women put more effort into their emotions and are more sensitive when expressing emotion. A study conducted by Porter and Stone (1995) reveals that women are better at coping with problems and have more potential to develop their emotions. A study conducted by Trobst, Collins, Embree (1994) found that women tend to be more supportive and possess more empathy than men. It is important to study gender differences with this proposed study because organizations are seeing demographic changes with an increase of women taking on significant career roles (Offermann Gowing, 1993). Moreover, gender studies also has implications specially now when the thrust is on diversity management. Empirical findings of the study can help while HR policies are formulated by companies. EI and career success In a study by Cavallo Brienza (2004) of the Johnson Johnson Consumer Personal Care Group (N=1400) in thirty seven countries, it was found that emotional competencies differentiate successful leaders and that emotional intelligence, as one of a broad spectrum of skills which managers have in varying levels. Len Tischler et al (2002) examined the RELATION OF emotional intelligence, spirituality and work place performance and studies displayed a positive relationship between emotional intelligence and work place success. A study conducted at a large, international organization by Collins et al (2001), using a personality-based measure of EI and an ability-based measure of EI,(N= 91), it was found that EI may not directly play a significant role in the success of the executive participants . Bachmann, et al (2000)conducted two studies which compared more and less successful account officers (debt collectors) in terms of their emotional intelligence, measured using the BarOn Emotional Quotient Inventory. The findings support the view that higher levels of emotional intelligence lead to enhanced job performance. As quoted by Exley (2000), in a study on a group of 100 British managers participating in HMC courses, Henley Management College (HMC) researchers, Dulewicz and Higgs,were able to show a strong correlation between rapid career progression and a combination of emotional intelligence and high IQ . McClelland conducted an analysis (1998) of the competencies that distinguish star performers from average ones. He found a tipping point effect when people exhibited excellence in six or more competencies. McClelland (1998) argues that a critical mass of competencies above the tipping point distinguishes exemplary from average performers. The typical pattern shows that the highest performers are above the tipping point on at least six EI competencies and demonstrate strengths in at least one competency from each of the four clusters. In a research done by Snarey and Vaillant, (1985) it is found that in determining the success, IQ had little relation to workplace and personal success. More important was the ability to handle frustration, control emotions and get along with others. Among the secondary review topics selected by the researcher, the most interesting area is the contribution of EI to career success. There are diverse view points on the relevance of EI for career success. Some inflated claims of EI contributing to 80 percent of career success needs empirical testing and verification. Identification of Research gap Most of the researches in the field of Emotional Intelligence is conducted post 1995, thanks to the popularization of the concept by Daniel Goleman. This makes the literature review partially limited to past 15years. More over , researches in the field of Emotional Intelligence is still picking up momentum . Existing researches contributes to very small percentage of body of research in EI. The topics considered for literature review for this research was in the context of the current objective of this research. As evident from the literature review, most of the researches, barring a few are conducted outside India . There are contradicting research findings by researchers in the topics showing relation of Emotional Intelligence with Leadership style, Gender, Alexithymia , Stress coping and Career success. Interestingly no published research is available in India in the field of Emotional Intelligence and career success as a comparative study for knowledge based industries of India . With increased emphasis on service industry in India, the research gap is identified for finding out whether Emotional Intelligence really contributes to career success of knowledge based employees . The findings of this study will be an original contribution to the field of research in Emotional Intelligence for industries like IT, BPOs, KPO s, Academics . Research framework An analytical study is proposed to identify the correlation of Emotional Intelligence and career success of employees of knowledge based industry. Since information Technology industry in India is growing at a fast pace , with one of the Indian cities, Bangalore proclaimed as Silicon valley of India , target population can be identified as IT companies of Bangalore. Stratified sampling technique is proposed to divide the companies in to strata of small , medium and large sized companies based on the number of employees. Simple random sampling technique is proposed to select the company from each strata . Data need to be tested for normality and in case found to be non normal, outliers are to be removed and data need to be brought to normal distribution using log method. Standardised tool with reasonably good chronbach alpha value of reliability is to be chosen for measuring Emotional Intelligence and career success of employees. An executive interview is also proposed to be conducte d among top management to understand the awareness and utilization of EI in various functional areas in HR department of the company. Pilot study is to be conducted to know the direction of research as well as to make corrections in the questionnaire based on the feedback of the respondents. Hypothesis testing is to be done to empirically prove the relationship EI and career success. Some of the proposed hypotheses for the study could be: Ho1 : Demographic variables have no impact on Emotional Intelligence of an employee. Ho2 : Emotional Intelligence can not predict career success of employees. Statistical tools like correlation, simple regression, multiple regression using dummy variable , Chi square test, ANOVA , Factor analysis etc can be used for testing the hypotheses . Regression model is to be made that shows the predictive ability of emotional intelligence and career success. Conclusion : Emotional Intelligence is an emerging field of study. Relatively less research has been done in this field in India. Emotional intelligence is yet to capture the attention of HRD practitioners as tool for managerial development. Since it is evident from the secondary literature review that emotional intelligence can impact career success positively, efforts should be made to popularize and practice the concepts of emotional intelligence. Limitations of the study: The study is has some delimiting points . Since this is a concept of recent origin there is lack of previous research in this area. Another issue a researcher will face in this field is difficulty in choosing a EI model for study as there are multiple models and definitions of Emotional Intelligence. More over, there is no consensus over a single model which could be universally applied. Lack of awareness of the impotrance of EI among the respondents is another challenge that the researcher will have to face. Possibility of the response distortion due to Hawthorne effect (respondents giving more favourable responses because of the attention given by researcher) can not be ignored.Another delimiting factor is the inherent problem connected to self report devices used to measure Emotional Intelligence. Any of the self report measures used for gauging Emotional Intelligence is not free from Pygmalion effect or self fulfilling prophecy wherein the respondent gives most ideal responses irrespective of the true response. Scope for future research: Emotional Intelligence competencies that differentiate the most successful employees from their typical peers need further study.Since economy has opened up for IT and academics , percentage of expatriates functioning out of India have seen an increase. A future study of EI of expatriates can help the management in choosing the right candidate for successful expatriation. Another improvement on this study can be made by using an intervention program for an experimental group by training employees on EI and measuring their improved career performance.

Friday, September 20, 2019

A Tale Of A Tub Analysis

A Tale Of A Tub Analysis Swift criticizes by employing the literary device called satire in which the author exposes folly or absurdity in the behavior of an authority or society. His works are skeptical and sarcastic as well as intelligent and enjoyable. Swifts writing and patriotism influenced British literature profoundly. With it he taught the reader to question injustice and societys conception of civilization. His works continue to impact British literature and the body of its readers to the present. The satire in A Tale of a Tub is historically novel for several reasons. First, Swift more or less invented prose parody. He explains that his work is, in several places, a parody, which is where he imitates the style of persons he wishes to expose. What is interesting is that the word parody had not been used for prose before, and the definition he offers is arguably a parody of John Dryden defining parody in the Discourse of Satire. Prior to Swift, parodies were imitations designed to bring mirth, but not primarily in the form of mockery.Additionally, Swifts satire is relatively unique in that he offers no resolutions. While he ridicules any number of foolish habits, he never offers the reader a positive set of values to embrace. While this type of satire became more common as people imitated Swift, later, Swift is quite unusual in offering the readers no way out. He does not persuade to any position, but he does persuade readers from an assortment of positions. This is one of the qualities that has made the Tale Swifts least-read major work. A Tale of a Tub is a mass of text seemingly thrown together with the purpose of deliberately confusing the reader, but its digressions upon digressions cannot mask the inevitable theme of loss, which is ultimately found in all of Swifts works. The satire holds the present against an ideal of past perfection, and the comparison always shows the modern to be lacking. The church adulterates religion; moderns, the ancients; critics, the author. The narrator of Swifts text seems to believe that the moment a great work or idea is put forth, it can be pure, but will always degrade with time. Because it is impossible to return to this former state, there is a heavy sense of disappointment that weighs down the more transparent wit and humor. The entire tale could be nothing more than a joke, which is aimed at not only the moderns and the church, but the audience as well. But no matter how many crude attacks Swift makes, the purpose of the story is not just to laugh at the expense of others, b ut to mourn the fall of an ideal that can never exist again. It is impossible to return to an original source in the Tale because it seems as if the narrator holds a model of a linear time-line in his head. As time passes, the distance between each passing moment and the originating point must increase, and any attempt to return to the beginning must fail. Just as it is impossible for someone living in the eighteenth century to return to the first, a man who is taught to be a modern can never think exactly like an ancient. Because of this view, the narrator can almost be seen as a modern-day phenomenologist. This philosophy asserts the impossibility of observing any object as it actually is, since the viewer is separated from the object and only has a representation of it inside the mind. Once disconnected with a source, all that can be known of it is derived from a limited, outside perspective that is warped by the distance between the observer and the object being studied. In short, the further people are separated from the classics or relig ion, the more skewed their view of them becomes. The main grievances of A Tale of a Tub is not only the fact that society is so separated from the origins of these subjects, but that it tries to earn the virtues they promise through a modern method rather than imitating the circumstances in which they were created. Phenomenologists believe that the closest a person can get to holding an accurate representation of anything is to extract the interpretations and personal ideas the viewer has added from the object itself. Swift writes this scathing satire in part to criticize those that do not even attempt this. Once the great classical ideas were presented, each year that followed further separated the circumstances of the reader from that of the author. By Swifts time, the gap between the cultures was so wide that the majority who wished to learn these ideas had to read translations, dissect each section into small parts and insert contemporary comments. But, rather than studying ancient texts from the modern perspective that is the very cause of the gap, it is much more beneficial to be immersed in the classics and to be separated as much as possible from the current. Because Swifts contemporaries failed to do this, the texts were corrupted through their attempt to apply them to succeeding societies. The structure, or more aptly, the deconstruction of the Tale is modelled after the shredding of historical texts by modern thought. The narrator is firmly on the side of the Ancients, and views any deviation from classical works to be degenerative. So the author repeatedly jumps from the allegory of the three brothers to commentaries on critics, digressions and madness to mock the method of his contemporaries. The digressions are just as important as the allegory because he considers them to constitute a major part of all that is wrong with learned society. As he sees it, we are wholly indebted to Systems and Abstracts, in which the Modern Fathers of Learning, like prudent Usurers, spent their Sweat for the Ease of Us their Children. For Labor is the Seed of Idleness, and it is the peculiar Happiness of our Noble Age to gather the Fruit (338). But rather than properly appreciating the gifts of these texts, the moderns reject the study of the Greek and Latin languages. They must then tear the texts apart to understand and benefit from the knowledge held within them, even if it does require compromising the original work. The narrators attitude towards critics follows along much of the same lines, since they too take away from the works they are studying to further their own ends. Hacks, who make up the bulk of this group, prefer to trash literature so they may appear intelligent and discerning. They ruin texts because they stray from the purpose they should be striving for: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦it is the frequent Error of those Men (otherwise very commendable for their Labors) to make Excursions beyond their Talent and their Office, by pretending to point out the Beauties and the Faults; which is no part of their Trade, which they always fail in, which the World never expected from them, nor gave them any thanks for endeavouring at (271-272). For the narrator, there is only one way to do anything, and that is to remain as close to the original intention as possible. The critics damage the works they analyse as the moderns do the ancients, because they use their own method rather than that which has been as signed for them. Subsequently, the critic is no longer a fair judge, but becomes a Discoverer and Collector of Writers Faults (313). Supposedly, the main subject of the Tale is the history of three primary branches of Christianity: Catholicism, as represented by Peter; the Church of England, represented by Martyn; and the Dissenters, as shown through Jack. The beginning of religion, seen through the father, is pure because it is simple. There is only one man and one doctrine, but this basic structure cannot last since corruption must always occur. The father dies, and there are now three who must uphold Gods will. Greater numbers create a greater opportunity for temptation, and the first to stray is Peter. The narrator then spends a significant portion of the allegory describing how the Catholic Church manipulates the Bible to satisfy its materialistic desires and assert its own authority, which is done in every way from hoarding wealth to worshipping tailors to cursing everyone to hell if they fail to believe it. It becomes intolerant of any opposing view and excommunicates the other two branches. No longer under their elder brothers influence, Martyn and Jack begin to reform. With the inherited coats symbolising religion and its decorations revealing the superficial state it has fallen into, the two brothers remove the shoulder knots, Indian figures and other unnecessary additions in order to restore their coats to the original condition. But Martyn realizes that removing all the stitching will tear the fabric, and lets some of it remain to ensure that nothing will be damaged. Jack, however, is overcome with zeal and rips his coat in his eagerness to purge all the impurities. The corruption of the church is a given because almost two thousands years have passed since the beginning of Christianity. What is important in this aspect of the Tale is that three courses of action are detailed which show not only incorrect choices, but also the correct one. The obvious, right choice is represented by Martyn, who follows the advice of the narrator and does his best to recreate the original integrity of the church that existed in the beginning. Even though this can not be exactly replicated, it at least attempts to come as close as possible. Peter does the same as all of the hack critics and follows his own designs with no regard to any damage he might cause. Jack makes the same mistake as the moderns and ruins that which he is wishes to preserve, all because he uses the wrong method. Whatever Reader desires to have a thorow Comprehension of an Authors Thoughts, cannot take a better Method, than by putting himself into the Circumstances and Postures of Life, that t he Writer was in, upon every important Passage as it flowd from his Pen; For this will introduce a Parity and strict Correspondence of Ideas between the Reader and the Author (286). Though this passage is written in a teasing manner like most of the satire, it is a firm belief held by the narrator. Whether it is reading the works of the ancients, the Bible, or a contemporary author, the most benefit and the least damage will be ensured by mimicking the situation in which a work was written. But theres a hopelessness that pervades the Tale, as if the narrator knows that perfection can be imitated, but only a few will bother to try and the result will only be a shadow of what existed before. Only a few words are written to describe the first years in which the church was true to Christianity, and the entire reformation in which Martyn makes his compromise is summed up in one paragraph. The rest of the allegory details each folly of the Catholics and Dissenters with great relish. Far more wit and energy is used and pleasure taken in condemning those that fall short of the ideal than those who struggle to recreate it. Swift dwells on the negative, offering little forgiveness for the sinners and faint praise for the reformers. Once the ideal is lost, all he finds worth commenting on are the faults. Because of the narrators pessimism, the best and the worst of mankind are intermixed, as if to show that humans have great potential, but being human also means that it can never be reached. And if the most sublime element of humans is based in the mind, particularly intelligent thought, then the worst is rooted in the physical, i.e., bodily functions. When the narrator makes such conclusions as the gift of BELCHING being the noblest Act of a Rational Creature, his combining of the highest and lowest aspects of mankind is a reflection of his disappointment that the two must exist together and thereby limit the rise into the intellectual (341). Because he dwells on the worst, not only does he remind the reader of the most base acts of humans, but he writes that it is the greatest we can expect to ever achieve. He implies that the physical is behind most all of our actions, including war: Having to no purpose used all peaceable Endeavours, the collected part of the Semen, raised and enflamed, became adust, converted to Choler, turned head upon the spinal Duct, and ascended to the Brain. The very same Principle that influences a Bully to break the Windows of a Whore, who has jilted him, naturally stirs up a Great Prince to raise mighty Armies, and dream of nothing but Sieges, Battles, and Victories (347). Because it is impossible to reach the intellectual greatness of the past, he concentrates on the worst of the body, as if that is all we can ever depend on and might as well be the reasoning behind all we do. The path that leads to intellectual achievement is very narrow and leaves no room for digression: Thus, Wit has its Walks and Purlieus, out of which it may not stray the breadth of an Hair, upon peril of being lost (286). And though a few do attempt to follow it, they can never reach the sublime state that once existed, and every day that passes only limits their potential even more. The narrator does try to guide his readers by making the correct path clear, but he has little expectation that they will heed his advice. He can only see the loss of once was, so he invariably focuses on mans inescapable decline into hopelessness. Even if he did desire to write in the manner of the great classics he admires rather than just criticizing others for not doing so, it would be pointless. As he sees it, anything he composes could never rival the historical texts because he is so separated from them. He has intensely studied their works and culture, but any attempt to imitate them must fall sh ort of the original. And if his talent cannot be used to add to the glory of the classics, then it might as well be used to condemn the moderns. If all writing is ultimately a corruption of that which preceded it, as the narrator seems to believe, then it is better to write of something that is despised rather than revered. At times the Tale appears to be nothing more than a prank, due to all of the digressions and unintelligible passages that are inserted. Swift states that he is giving his readers exactly what they want, because mankind receives much greater Advantage by being Diverted than Instructed, and happiness is a perpetual Possession of being well Deceived (327, 351). Swift views this as the exact problem that is ruining current learning, and puts it under the readers nose to frustrate them with the same method they are promoting. Conclusion One of the great themes that Swift explores in A Tale of a Tub is the madness of pride involved in believing ones own age to be supreme and the inferiority of derivative works. One of the attacks in the tale was on those who believe that being readers of works makes them the equals of the creators of works.